What the Future Holds
by Shadow-Hoshi
Summary: When the turtles meet a hybrid from the future, they must defend themselves from both the present and future Shredder. The problem is their hybrid friend won't tell them what's going on. Rated for launguage.
1. Introduction

Another new story I've created due to a fandom attack. The character R2, who will come in the next chapter, belongs to R2ninjaturtle. I have permission to use her. I want to make it clear that R2 is NOT mine. Go read her stuff. Tis good.

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A figure runs through the maze of alleyways in New York City in the dead of night. He glances over his shoulder as he runs. Several more shadowed figures follow him through the alleys. They are agile and fast. They tail him on ground level and follow on the rooftops. Our first figure makes a right turn down an alley and instantly regrets his decision. A dead end. He his soon surrounded by his pursuers and draws his sword to defend himself. He pants for air as he moves into a battle stance. The figures don't move. Footsteps are heard from behind the surrounding figures.

"Where are you running off to so quickly, young Taro?" A raspy voice asks in the darkness. The metallic sounds of the approaching foe's footprints strike a sudden fear in the soul of the young swordsmen. He tightens his grip on the hilt of his sword. "I think you have something that belongs to me. Hand it over and I'll kill you quickly," The Shredder emerges from the shadows. Taro backs up a step and scowls. Hiding his eyes behind his long dark brown bangs, Taro tries to think of a way to escape. His father entrusted him to protect the finale piece the Shredder needed to activate his time machine.

_"Listen to me Taro. All the Shredder needs is the information on this disk to make his time machine work. If he gets it, we lose. He'll destroy me and your uncles long before you or your cousins born. I'm trusting you to protect it Taro. Your mother and I are so proud of you. We know you can do this,"_

Taro let's his eyes fall to the ground. "What am I supposed to do now?" He whispered to himself. Frustrated tears began to boil up in his eyes. Shaking he looked up at the Shredder with his angry tear-filled eyes. Taro said a small prayer and prepared to fight.

"I'm losing patience Taro. Give me the power key, NOW!" The Shredder signals for his foot soldiers to attack. With great speed Taro knocks them down, but more keep coming. He dodges blows like liquid and endures every strike that happens to meet its mark. The Shredder signals for his elite to attack. Taro dodges the first blow, but gets hit hard on the back by the second. He is forced into the brick wall. He sinks to the ground, sword still tight in hand. Blood trickles into his left eye from his brow. He lunges to attack but is stopped short by a kick to the stomach. Unable to breath, he collapses to his knees. "You have no hope, you foolish green miscreation. It is over," The Shredder lifts Taro up by his shirt and takes the power key from Taro's pocket. He is dropped like a rag doll and hits the ground hard. The Shredder places the cubed-shaped key into the proper component and his time machine is complete. "Now with this I will destroy your meddlesome family. Starting with your father and uncles. They will be merely toddlers and unable to defend themselves. As a bonus I will be rid of you," Two elite lift Taro up. He hangs his head low, his grip looses and his sword drops. He watches it fall for a moment. Like lightning he kicks his falling sword into the Shredder's leg. Before the elite have time to react they are laying on the ground.

"You won't touch my family!" Taro yells. His eyes glowing a deep red in anger. The Shredder launches his time machine as Taro lunges for him. As they struggle, the coordinates are altered and the two of them are transported to the past.

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I really didn't know how to start this chapter. It will get better I promise.


	2. Raph's notebook

Just for the record, R2 is not mine. Her name (for those who are wondering) is short for Raph 2. Raph 2------R2 get it?

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"Ah no. Where is it?" Raphael dug through his drawers franticly. "C'mon. This is so stupid! It was right here not two hours ago," He yelled. R2 sat on the couch listening to his panicked tone and snickered behind her book. Donatello tinkered with one of his many inventions. The crashing noises from Raph's home made it difficult to concentrate however. He glanced over at R2.

"What is he yelling about?" He asked slightly annoyed. She merely shrugged.

"Sounds like he lost something," She said not lifting her eyes from her book.

"If he keeps this up Master Splinter is going to be seriously ticked off," He said getting up from his work place. As he walked by R2 he stopped. "You sure you don't know? Don't you two think alike?"

"I've been reading not thinking. I haven't the foggiest clue what he looking for," Donnie climbed the stairs and peeked into Raph's room. Everything was a complete mess. Furniture was upside down, random junk scattered about, and Raph himself digging through a box.

"Hey Raph, I don't know what you happen to be looking for, but could you keep the noise down a bit? The people walking on the streets can probably hear you," Donnie requested calmly. Raph paid little, if no attention to his brother's comments and threw the box over his head. He lay on the ground and starred at the ceiling. "Raph?"

"I've turned this place upside down, inside out, and just torn it apart. Where is it?" Raph beat his fist on the floor. Donnie went over and knelt down by Raph's head.

"What are you looking for? Maybe I could help," He asked. Raph propped himself on his elbows.

"My notebook. It's black and I basically carved my initial in the cover with a red pen," He explained. "I really need to find it,"

"It's possible that it's still in here somewhere. I bet that if you clean this place up a bit you'll find it," Donnie suggested. Raph stood up and sighed.

"Nah. It ain't in here. I would've seen it. I don't put the stupid thing anywhere else. It was there this morning, and now it's not," He spoke with gesturation and started to walk out of the room. Donnie glanced around.

"You're just gonna leave your room like this?"

"I'll fix it later," They both walked down the stairs quietly before Donnie broke the short silence.

"What's in it?" Raph stiffened up a little and glanced down at the stairs.

"Stuff," He replied.

"What kind of 'stuff'?" Donnie asked suspiciously.

"Notebook stuff?" Raph looked over at R2, who was sitting silently reading on the couch, and narrowed his eyes. He walked in the direction of the kitchen as the elevator door opened. Leo, Mikey, and Master Splinter walked towards Donnie.

"Pizza delivery! Hope you guys are hungry. They had the cheese-filled crust this week," Mikey said with his never fading grin. Leo smiled at his younger brother's enthusiasm. Master Splinter retired to his room to meditate.

"Hey Don, how were things while we were gone?" Leo asked.

"Very loud. Raph torn apart his room looking for his notebook,"

"Raph has a notebook?" Mikey asked excitedly. "What's in it?"

"Stuff," Donnie replied. Mikey and Leo blinked. Raph returned from the kitchen with his hands behind his back and a serious expression on his face. His three brothers watched him walk over to the couch and take R2's book.

"Hey! I was reading that!" She exclaimed.

"Where is it? I know you took it, now tell me where it is," Raph demanded. R2 smirked.

"I have no clue what you're talking about," She said folding her arms over her chest.

"Yes you do! You're the only one who knows where I keep it, and it would be so _you_ to take it! I know you, and I know you have it. Tell me where it is NOW!" He yelled.

"What are you so worried about? I can't even open it. What's in that notebook of yours that you don't want to show anyone?" R2 asked. Raph was cornered. His brother's were listening attentively, Master Splinter could probably hear everything, and there was no way he could get out of it.

"I don't like this game. Just…tell me where you hid it," Raph griped the object he took from the kitchen tightly behind his back.

"Tell me what's in it and I'll think about it," R2 said smiling evilly.

"No. If you don't tell me where it is…"

"You'll do what? Gag me with a spoon?" She asked sarcastically.

"How'd you guess?" Raph asked pulling a spoon from behind his back. R2's eye grew wide as Raph tackled her onto the ground. She yelped in surprise and tried to wiggle out from underneath him. Don, Mikey, and Leo all rushed to break the two of them up. Leo and Donnie grabbed Raph's arms and pulled him off R2, who jumped to her feet ready to fight.

"Let 'im go. I'm ready," She said putting up her guard. Leo and Donnie exchanged nervous looks. They reluctantly let Raph go. He immediately jumped for R2. She swung her body to the side and caught Raph in a headlock. He struggled, but to no avail. "C'mon Raphie. Tell what's in your notebook," She taunted. Raph moved his left arm in front of her, bent his left leg, and buckled her leg. After she lost her balance, he knocked her down with his arm. She fell to the floor with a thud.

"No," He said looking down at her. She jumped up and they began to wrestle. Leo and Donnie watched them roll around on the floor. They knew better than get in the middle of something like that.

"Master Splinter won't like this much," Donnie commented. Raph pulled back R2's leg as she jerked his bandana.

"Master Splinter won't like this at all," Leo watched the two of them wrestle. "I didn't know Raph's arm could bend that way," While his brothers 'supervised' the fight, Mikey was looking around for Raph's notebook around the living room. He was just as curious as R2. What would Raph have a notebook for? More importantly, what was in it? Mikey lifted up the couch cushions.

"Hello, what have we here?" He smiled as his picked up the black notebook. At least he thought it was a notebook. The black book was in a clear plastic case, which was sealed with safety pins and rubber-bands. He cocked his head as he tried to figure out how to open it. "Donnie. How would you open this thing?"

"What thing?" He asked not looking away from the match. R2 managed to slam Raph onto his stomach. She smiled triumphantly.

"This safety-pin and rubber band security lock," Both R2 and Raph snapped their heads around in Mikey's direction. R2 began to run over, but Raph grabbed her ankles. She fell to the ground flat on her face. Raph jumped off of her shell and over to Mikey. He snatched the case out of his hands and scowled at him. "Hehe. I found it for you Raph," Mikey said nervously.

"Yea," Raph held a firm grip on his notebook. R2 stood up and snorted in annoyance. Raphael side-stepped her on his way back to his room. "You stay back,"

"Hurry up and come down Raph. We have to go on our training run tonight," Leo reminded. Raph grunted and sighed.

"I'm comin'," He yelled back. He carefully chose a good hiding spot for his notebook and closed the door on his way out.

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What could Raph be hiding in that notebook of his I wonder?


	3. trust and hope

Ok. I need to explain a couple things. 1.) R2 just so happens to be Raphael's clone. If you wanna know the full story read R2ninjaturtle's story: Raphael's Clone. Read it. It's good. 2.) I'm making the majority of this up as I go along, which in turn prevents me from updating constantly. So be patient.

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The five shadowed figures of the turtles leaped from roof top to roof top in a game of follow the leader. R2 led as the others copied her moves and tried to get ahead of her at the same time. Raphael usually caught up with her instantly, but he trailed behind. He was still angry at her for stealing his notebook. It portrayed his inner self and how he felt about specific things. He used a talent known by few, if not no one, to express himself. He hates the fact that people think he bottles everything up inside, but he doesn't. He let's everything out. Not to people, but in his notebook. It won't judge him, it won't criticize him, and it won't hurt him. Eventually they'd discover its contents, but right now they would remain oblivious.

"So what's in it?" Mikey's voice distracted Raph from his anger for a moment. "Is it like some secret diary?" Raphael's anger began to boil.

"Mikey, if you don't shut up I'm gonna rip out your tongue," He threatened.

"I'm so scared. It has to be a diary. You wouldn't be so uptight if it wasn't important," Mikey continued to push his brother's buttons. Leo quickly ran ahead of R2 and became the leader. He stopped at a building's edge and turned to Mikey.

"Knock it off Mikey. You're going too far," Leo warned.

"Ah lighten up Leo. I'm just playin',"

"I don't care. You're going to get socked in the face if you keep this up," He scolded. Leo glanced at Raph. The fire that was building up in his eyes started to die down. Leo sighed relief and started to jog away. Donnie and Mike followed, but Raph and R2 stayed behind for a second. Raphael glared angrily at her. R2 felt a sudden wave of guilt run through her. She could feel his anger in her own soul. She bowed her head and stared at her feet.

"I'm sorry Raph, really," She said looking up at him. His expression softened a little, but it was still angry. He walked pass her.

"Don't ever touch it again," He glanced at her through the corner of his eye. He ran to catch up with the others. R2 watched him run for a second or two before she followed also. Leo flipped over a ventilation shaft and leaped across an alley. Raph quickly caught up and ran along side him.

"You ok Raph?" He asked.

"Better than I was. Thanks Leo. I owe ya one," Raph replied. They both ran at equal speed and synchronized their acrobatics.

"It's nothing. I understand that whatever's in your notebook is yours and personal. I wouldn't want someone to invade my privacy against my will," Leo explained. Raphael was almost stunned by his brother's words. It made him feel like he had someone he could trust. For some reason, he wanted to show Leonardo what his notebook held.

"You say that like you're not the least bit curious," Raph said flipping over a skylight.

"Well of course I'm curious, but I can't force you to show me," Leo stopped at a water tower to wait for the others to catch up. They stared at each other in silence.

"You may have earned it," Raph said calmly. Leonardo blinked. Raph was being quite open with him. More now than probably ever. "Unless you happen to piss me off sometime in the near future," Raph smirked. The two of them laughed a little. R2, Don, and Mikey caught up with them panting a little.

"Geez, why do you guys have to go so fast?" Michelangelo whined.

"We don't go fast. You're just slow," Raph replied. A sudden flash of light blinded the turtles. They covered their eyes with their forearms. "What the heck is going on?" Raph yelled. When the light disappeared they saw some kid fighting with the Shredder. They immediately drew their weapons. It wasn't their Shredder however. This one had golden armor and three metal claws on his left hand instead of two on the right. The Shredder and his opponent began to grapple. They pushed with equal force and strained to keep from giving way.

"You…have no hope Taro. Surrender," The Shredder grunted. He pushed Taro back two feet. Taro forced the balls of his feet harder into the cement roof.

"I will die before I surrender to you!" Taro's eyes began to glow red with the intensity of the battle.

"That can be arranged," The Shredder let go of Taro's hands, forcing him to lose his balance and fall on his face. He lifted his right hand, attempted to strike with his claw. Taro rolled out of the way and flipped back onto his feet.

"What do we do?" Donnie asked quietly. Leo didn't take his eyes off the Shredder or Taro.

"We wait. Stay on guard. If that's the Shredder, a few dozen foot soldiers are bound to be near by," He instructed. Raph and R2 shook with anticipation. Mikey watched the fight confused.

"Where did those two come from? And who's the kid?" He asked. No one said a word. The Shredder charged for Taro, who rolled out of the way again. The Shredder's back was to the turtles and Taro spotted them. His eyes widened in surprise. His sudden hesitation gave the Shredder his moment of opportunity. He dashed towards Taro and punched him kicked him in the stomach. Taro flew back into a wall. The Shredder dashed again and held Taro up against the wall by his neck. Taro grabbed the Shredder's wrist and tried to pull it away, but to no avail.

"It's time for your destruction, little Taro," The Shredder began to squeeze Taro's windpipe. Taro chocked and struggled. "Silly boy, did you really think-" The Shredder was cut short by a swift kick in the ribs by a green foot. He flew back several feet, but regained his balance and held up his guard. The turtles went into their fighting stances and prepared to fight. Donnie knelt by Taro, who was gasping for air.

"You ok?" He asked. Taro looked up at him with fear in his eyes.

"You can't fight him," He exclaimed. "You'll die,"

"This is not what I wanted. The coordinates must be off a few years," The Shredder said after staring at the turtles. He took out his time machine and looked it over. "Oh I see the problem," He said to himself. He turned the dials on the side and started to power it up. "I think I'll just leave you here Taro. I do hope you won't mind," He smiled behind his metal helmet. R2 threw a shuriken at the machine and chipped a corner off as the Shredder disappeared. Taro ran to where the Shredder stood and fell to his knees. He bowed his head in shame and cursed at himself. His bangs shadowed his eyes which began to tear up.

"I'm sorry Dad. I failed," He whispered. A sparking object caught his eye. It was the corner that R2 managed to slice off. Taro examined it for a moment and then smiled. "Maybe there is still hope," He smirked.

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I think I'll stop there. In the next chapter: The turtles take Taro home with them. After he washes 2 weeks of dirt from his face they are surprised to see that he…..evil snicker

I am the Cliffhanger Queen!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!


	4. meeting Taro

I hope you've liked chapters 1-3. I am trying my hardest to make this my best fic so far. I'd like to thank Tsunami-dono and R2ninjaturtle for the reviews. You guys rock!

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Taro stood up and looked back at the turtles. They stared at each other silently. Seconds seemed like minutes in the awkward silence. Taro stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Stop looking at me like that!" He yelled scowling. The turtles jumped back at his sudden outburst. "Is this your first contact with another person?"

"Sorry. We didn't mean to stare," Donnie apologized sheepishly. Taro's expression changed instantly.

"Ah it's alright. The silence was killing me, so I had to end it," He smiled.

"I'm glad someone did. So, who be you?" Mikey asked smiling. Taro chuckled at Mikey's silliness. Leo remained on guard. This new comer could be an enemy, or not. It's better to be safe then sorry. Raph had a firm grip on his sai. He didn't trust him any more than Leo did. The difference between them was: Leo would give the benefit of a doubt.

"Name's Taro. And you?" Taro smiled at them. R2 stared at him blankly. She didn't know what to think. She examined his figure with her eyes. Taro was slim and a little short. He looked about five foot six or so from a distance. He had thick dark brown hair that was held in a low ponytail. Shadows from his long bangs prevented her from deciphering his eye color. Oddly, he had only four fingers on each hand. Taro's skin seemed to be different shades of brown in different spots on his face. That also seemed quite strange. He wore dark blue cargos with tan pockets. The black hoodie he wore had the word 'NINJ4' across the chest. R2 noticed the weapons he carried also. A pair of Kama hung behind him attached to the belt that held up his pants. The sheath of a sword was attached to his back. The sword itself was gone.

_"Maybe he lost it,"_ R2 wondered. A brown pouch, also attacked to his belt, caught her eye. It looked the right size to hold a few shuriken or something else small. She shook her head back into reality.

"I'm Mikey. These are my bros Leo, Don, Raph, and my sis R2," Mikey said wrapping his arm around R2's neck. She growled quietly. Raph glared at Taro suspiciously.

"Nice to meet you," Taro bowed. Leo sheathed his katana and approached him.

"Who was that you were fighting?" He asked. Taro looked down for a moment.

"You know there's someone to our left aiming arrows at us right?" He whispered casually. He looked up at Leo, who sighed.

"Yea I noticed. They're Foot ninja," He took one of his katana and 'inspected' it.

"How many do you see?" Taro asked.

"About twenty-four on the front line. There are probably two or three backup lines," The other turtles were confused by Taro and Leo's whispers. Curious, Mikey began walking towards them. "Stay where you are Mikey," Leo commanded. Obediently he stopped.

"Let's see, if there are guys to the left, there are bound to be guys to the right," Taro stated quietly. He placed his hands on the handles of his Kama casually to make it seem like it was mere gesturation. Leo handed Taro the katana he was holding. Taro slightly adjusted the blade of his Kama. He looked behind him with the katana and saw other Foot ninja trying to sneak up from behind. Leo did the same in the blade of the Kama.

"Will you help us fight them?" Leo asked. Taro smirked.

"Do you trust me?" he asked hiding his eyes behind his dark brown bangs.

"To some extent," Leo relied taking his katana back and drawing the other. "Guys get ready. We've got company," The other turtles drew their weapons and stood in a circle back to back. (Or shell to shell, either one) Taro stood with them.

_"I must protect them if my Shredder is to appear again," _He thought. His heart began to pound with anxiety. Taro closed his eyes to calm himself. When he reopened them a few dozen Foot ninja were surrounding them. _"I wish Yoshi was here,"_ Taro never fought alone if it was avoidable. While he was protecting the power key he always found a way to run from battle as he was instructed. He heard his father's voice once more.

_"It's okay to run sometimes Taro. To protect the key you need to stay alive until backup arrives. If that means you have to run and hide then run and hide. It's not cowardly Taro. It's smart," _

"Calm down kid. These guys are pretty easy to knock down. If you got the skill, you got nothing to worry about," Raph said quietly. Taro blinked.

"I'm not worried," He said in an annoyed tone. Raph snorted.

"So you're shaking out of enthusiasm?" Raphael twirled his sai around his fingers. Taro stared at him through the corner of his eye. His gaze drew Raph's eyes to meet his.

"Perhaps," He said calmly. Raph gave him a strange look. "Arrow," Taro said pointing to a foot soldier that had just fired an arrow towards them, a signal for the battle to commence.

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I know I said I was going to have the turtles take Taro home in this chapter, but I lied. It will be the next chapter though. Promise.

R&R


	5. Green Like us

Sorry I haven't updated guys. I've been…lazy. Here is chapter 5 enjoy.

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The battle was similar to any other the turtles had with the Foot. Same basic number of foes, same kinds of weapons. Nothing unusual. The full moon was high in the night sky and added to the light provided by the city. The air was warm, but a cool breeze blew around the battle field that made the conditions preferable for fighting. The turtles fought with swift and hard motions. Each blow knocking a Foot soldier down. Taro stood back for the most part and waited for the Foot to approach him. He kept his back to a wall and had a full view of the battle field. He kept his eyes on the turtles and watched for the Foot's backup forces to enter. Coincidentally, he did. Hun smashed a roof door and smirked evilly at the turtles who were preoccupied the Foot. Taro looked at the turtles. None of them had taken any notice to Hun's entrance. Knowing Hun's obvious intentions to do them harm, Taro dashed across the battlefield, knocking down any Foot who stood in his way. Taro took to a defensive horse-stance with his Kama raised to protect his comrades.

"Well lookie here; a pint-sized punk standing in my way?" Hun cracked his knuckles. "I'm gonna have to remove you from the premises," Hun swung at Taro, who ducked and launched his own attack. The butt of his Kama struck true in the breadbasket of his opponent. Hun stumbled back and took deep breaths to gain his second-wind.

"Sorry, my papa didn't raise no punk," Taro stated arrogantly. Hun got on his feet and charged at Taro, who responded by charging as well. Raphael had stabbed his last opponent in the side and drew his attention to the battle between Hun and Taro. He saw the fight erupt and felt slightly instinctive to go help Taro, but he was stalled by his curiosity. What could Taro really do? Was he as tough as he seemed? Or was he all talk? Raph crossed his arms with his sai in hand and watched the battle progress.

"This should be good," He mumbled to himself. Taro leaped into the air and brought his leg up to kick. But he jumped too soon and began his kick too slowly. Hun took the opportunity and grabbed Taro's foot. He smirked and spun Taro around by his foot. After two spins Taro's boot came loose and he flew into a stack of wooden crates. Raph winced at Taro's horrid landing. Michaelangelo came up behind his brother to watch the match.

"Oh. He'll feel that tomorrow," Mikey stated in his usual manner.

"I think he's feeling it now," Raph replied. Hun belted a deep laughter that came from his stomach. Taro shoved the pieces of wood off him and stood up.

"Okay that was slightly embarrassing," Taro mumbled to himself. He brushed the small wood chips out of his hair and took a step forward. Taro stumbled slightly and looked down at his feet confused. His boot was missing. Taro looked over at Hun with an annoyed look on his face. Hun smiled and shook the boot to taunt Taro. "Give it," Taro demanded outstretching his hand.

"Uh, no," Hun replies and looks Taro's boot over. "This is some fairly nice footwear. I'll bet they cost you a pretty penny. I wonder how much they'd sell for," Hun taunted.

"Less than dirt. Now give it back," Taro demanded once again as he began to approach.

"Come and get it, small fry," Hun replied as he smirked and tossed the boot up in the air. The turtles watched the conflict with baffled expressions.

"What is this? A schoolyard brawl?" Raphael commented. "When's the real action gonna start?" Leonardo shook his head at his brother's inability to see the seriousness of the matter at hand.

"Guys we should be helping him not standing back watching," Leo scolded as he unsheathed his katana. "Hun isn't a push over. Taro could really get hurt,"

"Chill out Leo. He's doin' fine," Mikey stated calmly leaning against Raph. "I'm sure Taro will come running when he needs our help," Michaelangelo tried to re-assure his brother. Leo glanced over at Taro who was yelling at Hun for being pathetic enough to steal a boot. After a moment of hesitation Leo sheathed his katana reluctantly. "Good job bro. Now, relax and watch the fight," Mikey grinned and turned his attention back to the fight. Leo sighed nervously. He felt uneasy about letting Taro fend for himself when he was able to help.

R2 had been quiet throughout the fighting. She felt guilty about the notebook still and Taro made her uneasy. Perhaps it was just because he was someone she didn't know. When everyone had been introduced many questions popped into her head that were most likely in the heads of the others as well. Was Taro trust-worthy? Did he know of the Foot or the Purple Dragons? Was he a good fighter? Where did he come from? What is his story? So many questions and few could be answered in a timely and efficient manner. Donatello sensed her dismay and moved closer to her.

"You ok R2?" He asked. R2 jumped at the sudden attention. After a moment, she comprehended his question.

"I don't know," She said quietly. "I guess I'm fine," She looked down at the ground. Don's expression remained concerned.

"The new guy making you nervous?" Donatello had asked the million dollar question. R2 nodded.

"I just don't know what to expect. _That's_ what's making me nervous," She admitted.

"That's understandable. We're all a little uneasy, though we may not appear to be. We're ninja R2; it's kind of our job to be alert. So, when we don't know what's going on or we don't have all the info, we get nervous or tense because we're afraid of making a mistake," Donatello explained. "Get it?" R2 thought about Donnie's logic for a moment.

"Yea. I guess that makes sense," R2 smiled. A crash drew her attention back to the battle. Hun was lying on his back under a pile of bricks. Whilst Taro was sitting on the ground adjusting the buckles and laces of his boot. The jaws of Raph, Mikey, and Leo would have reached the ground if they were able. "What happened!" R2 exclaimed, mentally cursing herself for missing what ever had happened.

"Taro just sent Hun through a chimney with one kick to the face," Mikey said still in shock. R2 blinked.

"Nuh-uh," She protested skeptically.

"F'raid so," Leo said dumbfounded. Taro stood up and cracked his neck. He looked over at the turtles, who were all staring at him wide-eyed.

"Ok now. Let's not start this again," He said sarcastically. He began to approach them. Raph gripped his sai firmly and prepared to attack if necessary. It was obvious now that Taro wasn't your average Joe. He was exceedingly strong and anyone that strong is sure to draw all sorts of attention. Even the attention of the Foot. Or someone else's. Leo pulled his brothers and R2 into a huddle. He motioned for Taro to wait where he was for a moment.

"Guys, I think we should take Taro back to the Lair with us," Leo proposed. The others mumbled and muttered debatably.

"Leo, are you insane?" Raph asked. "We can't just take this guy home,"

"I know it sounds stupid but I think we need to know about the one he was fighting before. He looked too similar to the Shredder not to be some sort of relation or something," Leo explained.

"I think it's none of our business. It ain't our problem and it'd be stupid to make ourselves another problem," Raph countered. Sensing the tension growing Donatello spoke up.

"I can see both side, but I'm gonna have to side with Raph on this one Leo. We don't know anything about Taro and it'd be silly to jump into a battle between him and the Shredder look-alike" Don stated moving closer to Raph. They all looked at Mikey.

"Hey, I think he's pretty cool. Strong too. He'd make a real good ally from what I've seen and it's not like we make friends every other day. I think we should take the chance to make a new bud who could seriously do some damage if we got in a scuffle," Michaelangelo scooted over to Leo. R2 felt her stomach shudder as they all stared at her. "You're the tie breaker R2. What's it gonna be?" R2 closed her eyes in thought. She could just vote for so Raph wouldn't be mad at her anymore, but something like that could come back and bite her in the shell.

"I vote for Leo," She said firmly. Raph was stunned that she voted against him, as was everyone else. He and R2 practically shared the same brain when it came to voting like this. Why would she vote against him?

"I don't suppose you got a reason?" Raphael asked.

"Taro's strong enough to take down Hun alone. Word like that travels fast in this city. If Taro's strength is reported to some organization, like the Foot or the Mob, looking for muscle, he could become our enemy. I think we should take him home and, ya know, get to know him. If we can see what he can really do we would be better prepared if we ever had to fight him," R2 took a breath after her extensive explanation. The others stared at her wide-eyed.

"I'm impressed," Donnie stated.

"Alright, we win!" Mikey exclaimed. Leo walked over to where Taro had sat against a wall. R2 stared at the ground. She felt guilty about voting against him. She felt that, in a way, she had betrayed him. She felt his stare on her like a security camera, following her as she followed behind Leo. She almost felt like crying. She had really pissed Raph off today.

_"Oh well"_ She thought. _"I hope he forgives me for today," _

"Hey Taro," Leo began. "Do you need a place to stay?" He asked. Taro looked up at him from where he was sitting with a baffled look on his face. He looked at his feet and closed his eyes in thought. Leo was slightly confused. It was a simple question. Did you really need to think about it?

"Yes. Yes I do," Taro replied standing up. "You have some place in mind?"

"Our place dude," Mikey piped up. "You can come stay with us," He grinned widely.

"I'd be honored," thanked Taro. They began to walk across the roof to the fire escape ladder. R2 trailed behind a bit and jogged to catch up.

"Hold up guys," Raph covered Taro's eyes with a black cloth and tied it firmly to the back of his head. "Sorry pal, I don't trust you," He mumbled in Taro's ear.

"So then I'm forced to trust you? That's not very fair," Taro replied. Donatello held onto Taro's arm, leading him to the ladder.

"You aren't gonna let me fall of the building are you?" Taro asked jokingly. Donnie laughed and helped Taro down the fire escape and across the alley. Leonardo led the group through the labyrinth of New York alleyways towards the warehouse above their Lair. After passing the fifth manhole on the way there Mikey whispered to Leo.

"Why are we going the extra long way?" He asked.

"So Taro doesn't know where we are. If we're going to take him home we're going to take precautions," Leo explained. "We'll go twice around the block and then the warehouse to the elevator," He planned. They walked around the block once and through the alley in the middle until they had finally reached the elevator. Once the elevator had begun to descend, Taro's blindfold was removed. A question had suddenly popped into Michaelangelo's head.

"So, who's gonna explain this to Master Splinter?" He asked abruptly. Everyone looked at Leo.

"Why me?" He exclaimed.

"It was your idea. You can explain," Raph stated smirking. Leo grimaced. The doors opened. Master Splinter looked up from his meditation.

"Welcome home my children. It was about time- you returned" Master Splinter's expression turned from joy to confusion when he noticed Taro. He frowned at his pupils, demanding an explanation for their new guest. Raph, R2, Don, and Mikey all pointed at Leo and left him to fend for himself.

"Make yourself at home Taro. There's food in the kitchen if you're hungry," Don said kindly. He noticed Taro walking about their home; lost in his own thoughts. Taro placed his hand on the cool pillar and admired the carvings in the stone.

"So many memories," Taro mumbled. Don walked up behind him confused.

"Taro?"

"Excuse me, but where is the shower? I seriously need to clean up," Taro asked casually. Donatello pointed to the bathroom area. "Thank you," Taro walked in the direction that Donnie had pointed and removed a small hand-held device from the pouch on his belt. He worked the buttons with his thumbs and disappeared into the bathroom. After shutting the bathroom door, Taro leaned against the wall and pressed the buttons on his device like a video game. He seemed to be looking for something within the device. Taro smirked in satisfactory and entered a password of alien digits. He stood in an open space and entered a combination of buttons and a brown cloth backpack had materialized on the floor.

"Thank you, virtual inventories," Taro mumbled to himself. He opened the bag and took out a clean pair of black lounge pants and a white t-shirt. He placed the clothes on the sink and removed the filthy apparel he had been wearing. Taro turned the knobs on the shower and hot water sprayed his body. He stood there for a moment; absorbing the warmth of the water while it washed the dirt and grime off his skin. Taro ran his fingers through his greasy hair. He reached for the brown bag and retrieved a bottle of shampoo and conditioner combo. He scrubbed his hair fiercely to rid himself of the nasty texture that was the result of not bathing for a week or so.

Outside the bathroom, Leonardo was explaining to Master Splinter the reason for their new company. He explained how they were playing follow the leader and when Taro and the Shredder look alike appeared out of no where.

"The golden Shredder used this weird device and disappeared, leaving Taro behind. He had the expression of someone who missed the bus after running four blocks to catch it. After he had introduced himself the Foot appeared and Taro took out Hun by himself!" Leo explained. "We were all exhausted sensei, and Taro didn't have a place to go. So we took a vote and brought him here," Leonardo waited nervously for his master's reply.

"I see. How do you know he isn't evil himself Leonardo? Evil people often fight over power," Master Splinter asked. "Have you made the right decision, my son?"

"There was a certain aura around him that felt innocent. I believe we made the right choice, sensei. Maybe Taro could use our help," Leo contemplated.

"Actually, I'd rather not drag you into my affairs," Taro stated from the doorway of the bathroom. Leo stared wide-eyed at Taro. Raph and R2 paused their session on snap kicks and exchanged stunned glances. Donnie looked up from his workbench and let his jaw drop confused. Mikey looked over the couch and gasped.

"Dude! You're green!" He exclaimed. Taro blinked and slowly brought his hand up to his face. He let out a short scream at the sight of his green hand. There was a pause and everyone was silent.

"Yea I know," He stated casually and laughed gingerly at their expressions. Donnie walked over and started circling Taro.

"Interesting," He said looking Taro up and down. Mikey jumped over the couch.

"So are you a mutant too?" Mikey asked excitedly. Taro raised an eyebrow.

"Poke me again and I'm gonna slap you," Taro glared at Donatello, who brought his arms up in defense. He turned to Mikey. "No, I was born this way,"

"So then you're not from Earth?" Leo asked curiously. Taro smiled.

"'F'raid not," He said. "I'm from the planet Zotrof,"

"I have heard of Zotrof. Prince Ico once competed in the Battle Nexus tournament many years back," Master Splinter finally spoke up.

"Oh yea. I remember that," Taro turned smiling at Master Splinter, who walked over to him.

"Welcome to our home Taro," Master Splinter bowed. "I am Splinter," Taro responded with a bow of his own.

"Thank you sir. I'm honored by your hospitality,"

"It is late. We should all be heading to bed. Leonardo, fetch a pillow and blanket for our guest," Master Splinter instructed.

"Yes, Sensei," Leo said. Mikey yawned.

"Well, G'night everyone. This turtle's hitting the sack,"

"Good idea Mikey. I'll finish my project in the morning," Donnie said retiring to his room. R2 followed Raphael silently to their room.

_"I wonder if he's still mad,"_ R2 thought as she climbed into her hammock above Raph's. She lay in the dark unable to sleep. R2 assumed Raph was still awake because he wasn't snoring like a chainsaw as usual. Her guilt overwhelming her, she spoke. "Raph? You still awake?"

"Yea,"

"I'm sorry that I made you mad," She said sincerely.

"You already apologized once R2. I'm over the whole stealing my notebook thing. Just please don't mess with it again," Raphael explained.

"So you're not mad that I voted against you?" She said turning on her side to hear him better.

"Nah. We don't always have to agree ya know. I ain't gonna be mad at ya for being yourself. If you felt it was the right choice then by all means speak up," R2 smiled in the darkness and let her arm drop over the edge. Raph reached up and squeezed her hand.

"G'night Raph,"

"G'night R2,"

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fist pump Hoo-rah! I finished chapter 5! This is got to be my longest chapter I've ever written. RR please.


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